Electric Bass Strings – Music

The electric bass is the main bass instrument in timba and modern Cuban dance music. According to Wikipedia, Juan Formell was already playing bass guitar when he founded Los Van Van in 1969. In timba the bass became a lead voice that stops and restarts and uses funk techniques such as slapping.

The Lineage

Cuban bass history follows a direct line:

Marímbula → Upright bass → Electric bass

  • The marímbula, a box with metal tongues related to the thumb piano, was the bass of changüí and old son; the oldest recordings date from 1925
  • According to EcuRed, the soneros later chose the double bass, for its greater volume and harmonic possibilities
  • Juan Formell played bass guitar in Los Van Van (1969); in timba the electric bass became the standard

According to Wikipedia, timba bass players took techniques from funk, such as slapping and pulling the strings in a percussive way.

Timba Bass Techniques

Technique Effect
Slap & pop Sharp, percussive attack that punches through the mix
Ghost notes Muted, rhythmic clicks that add texture without pitch
Melodic fills Short melodic lines that comment on the vocal or horn parts
Rhythmic displacement Playing patterns slightly off expected positions for tension
Chordal playing Two or more notes simultaneously — rare but dramatic

Relationship with Percussion

In salsa the bass tumbao is omnipresent. In timba, according to Wikipedia, the bassist stops and restarts the tumbao, one of the defining aspects of timba gears. See the Bass page.

Notable Timba Bassists

See also the Bass page for more on the timba bass role.

  • Alain Pérez — bassist and singer; Irakere from 1994, Issac Delgado, Celia Cruz's musical director
  • Feliciano Arango — according to Wikipedia one of the legends from NG La Banda
  • Joel Domínguez — bassist with Paulito FG and from 1999 with Issac Delgado

📝 Sources